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Great Ouse help

Jamie Warren

Jamie Warren

Senior Member
Hi all, I’m new to the forum and thought it would be the right place to ask some questions. I’m a member of Bedford angling club, and I would like to ask if anyone has any knowledge of their waters. I’ve been on some small sessions below Bromham bridge and had a walk around Stafford bridge and other than a nice chub, I’ve had nothing. I’m on the quest for a double figure barbel, my pb is just over 7, is this the right place for me? Or am I wasting my time?
 
Hi men,

Hi Jamie , you will get answers , but posting on the Gt Ouse thread on river reports will help .

Don't know to much about Bedford ac , but know the Ouse in general has gone way downhill since the glory days . There are pockets of barbel coming out , but as there are less people on the banks it's hard to say where to fish . If you want a really good chance of action then the upper Lea on the verilumn ticket is your best bet .

Hatter
 
Mark Anderson said:
Hi men,

Hi Jamie , you will get answers , but posting on the Gt Ouse thread on river reports will help .

Don't know to much about Bedford ac , but know the Ouse in general has gone way downhill since the glory days . There are pockets of barbel coming out , but as there are less people on the banks it's hard to say where to fish . If you want a really good chance of action then the upper Lea on the verilumn ticket is your best bet .

Hatter
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I used to be a bailiff for vac when they took on moor mill, marford farm is a bit busy for me. I’ve heard of barbel coming out into doubles, but everyone I talk to are a bit cagey
 
There are doubles in Marford but they're rare. Lots around 10lb but the average size has gone down the last few years.
Good news is that there's lots of smaller fish showing up 1-3 lb.
Leasey Bridge has far more fish with a lower average size but a far more 'natural' population. And a more angler friendly schedule.
 
Hard work on the Gt Ouse and Ivel nowadays.
I’m not one for telling people to give up on them but there are certainly quicker ways to achieve your goal.
The ivel was not too long ago one of the best specimen barbel rivers in the country. Not only did it hold a nice big handful of healthy fat girls but one of them regularly caught could of quite easily been a British record had she not been dragged out by an otter with a number of her friends.
There was one or two small free fishing stretches with no night fishing restrictions too that were also very prolific. (Not free any more)
There are still one or two big barbel in it. Some cracking chub and it’s had a recent barbel stocking but finding them is far more difficult now.
River Lea kings weir is a day ticket water and it’s by no means easy but they are in there and they go to very nice sizes. Also there is some enormous chub sitting in that stretch of the lea too.
Down from there you have fishers green. Again it’s a stretch known for its big barbel and super sized chub but that is really hard going. You could throw a whole season into that place and get no where. Some people do ok on it mind and I’ve seen some good lumps come out of F G just not often and usually to the lads that have put in 100’s and 100’s of hours work.
Upper lea is an entirely different ball game. They are very well populated there and while I’m sure a double or two may be there it is primarily fish of 1-5lb. Good sport on roving tactics.
River Nene still has it’s rep for a big girl.
Lots of popular backwaters and main river stretches that will happily grace your net with a double. I’ve been fishing the Nene this year and had a good few doubles but more blanks than catch rates. 13,9 is my best this season but I haven’t had a sniff since November. It’s been over it’s banks a couple of times this winter and actual fishing opportunities have been limited.
Trent I know very little about but it’s not a huge distance to travel to from our area. it’s probably your best chance of achieving your goal before the end of season. If your geared up for the tidal then that’s a very prolific water. I have a friend that fishes it regularly and quite often has some real monsters out. He’s had 2 pb’s this season making my 13,9 look very inferior.
The Gt Ouse is certainly your most local water but challenging it’s going to be. My last Ouse barbel came out a few years ago now from Eaton socan below the weir on the Cambridge ticket. It didn’t quite make double but a lovely surprise considering I was actually targeting chub.
 
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Richard Isaacs said:
Hard work on the Gt Ouse and Ivel nowadays.
I’m not one for telling people to give up on them but there are certainly quicker ways to achieve your goal.
The ivel was not too long ago one of the best specimen barbel rivers in the country. Not only did it hold a nice big handful of healthy fat girls but one of them regularly caught could of quite easily been a British record had she not been dragged out by an otter with a number of her friends.
There was one or two small free fishing stretches with no night fishing restrictions too that were also very prolific. (Not free any more)
There are still one or two big barbel in it. Some cracking chub and it’s had a recent barbel stocking but finding them is far more difficult now.
River Lea kings weir is a day ticket water and it’s by no means easy but they are in there and they go to very nice sizes. Also there is some enormous chub sitting in that stretch of the lea too.
Down from there you have fishers green. Again it’s a stretch known for its big barbel and super sized chub but that is really hard going. You could throw a whole season into that place and get no where. Some people do ok on it mind and I’ve seen some good lumps come out of F G just not often and usually to the lads that have put in 100’s and 100’s of hours work.
Upper lea is an entirely different ball game. They are very well populated there and while I’m sure a double or two may be there it is primarily fish of 1-5lb. Good sport on roving tactics.
River Nene still has it’s rep for a big girl.
Lots of popular backwaters and main river stretches that will happily grace your net with a double. I’ve been fishing the Nene this year and had a good few doubles but more blanks than catch rates. 13,9 is my best this season but I haven’t had a sniff since November. It’s been over it’s banks a couple of times this winter and actual fishing opportunities have been limited.
Trent I know very little about but it’s not a huge distance to travel to from our area. it’s probably your best chance of achieving your goal before the end of season. If your geared up for the tidal then that’s a very prolific water. I have a friend that fishes it regularly and quite often has some real monsters out. He’s had 2 pb’s this season making my 13,9 look very inferior.
The Gt Ouse is certainly your most local water but challenging it’s going to be. My last Ouse barbel came out a few years ago now from Eaton socan below the weir on the Cambridge ticket. It didn’t quite make double but a lovely surprise considering I was actually targeting chub.
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and don't forget what adams mill used to be like Richard I keep thinking about going and having a look up there on summers day and see if anything is still lurking there as I don't think anyone will let on if there was
 
Ray Heath said:
I don't think anyone will let on if there was
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And I Personally wouldn’t blame them in the slightest.
Given the fact barbel are now like hens teeth in that river I’d say anyone that finds them has earned to right to be completely selfish and keep that info entirely to them selves.

To be honest I’ve completely lost touch with that stretch and it’s been donkeys since I cast a line there. before it was all Milton Keynes water.
I had a couple of half decent ones out of that stretch back in the early 2000’s but most of my barbel fishing was done on ipa clubs allowing me access to the ivel. I absolutely miss that little rivers potential. Walking down the back meadows and common nowadays is just depressing. Crystal clear pair of polarised glasses and not a sign of life. You used to see the big red triangles wafting around under the streamer weed. Now your lucky if you see a jacky.
 
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I follow a couple of guys who fish the Ouse on f/book and they have been doing pretty good. They know the river very well obviously but even they've been quietly surprised how many fish they have started catchin again
 
There are still some very large Barbel in certain stretches of the Ouse, not as many as there were at the height of the Adams Mill circus days; but that was never going to be sustainable, Otters or not, and in my opinion today’s stock levels of large fish are a bit more of a realistic level. The few anglers that are putting the effort in are being rewarded nicely but not shouting about it in social media/angling rags etc for which I don’t blame then at all.
 
Jason Bean said:
I follow a couple of guys who fish the Ouse on f/book and they have been doing pretty good. They know the river very well obviously but even they've been quietly surprised how many fish they have started catchin again
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It’s nice to read that Jason.
It’s a stunning river and if people are still catching the specimens then good on them. It’s been so long since I had anything to do with the Gt Ouse I’m probably not the best on the most current knowledge of it.

Alan Palmer said:
The few anglers that are putting the effort in are being rewarded nicely but not shouting about it in social media/angling rags
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That’s nice to read too.
Absolutely they should be keeping it on the down low. The Last thing that poor river needs is swims announcing and the barbel brigade rocking up piling unwanted pressure on the place.
If it’s gonna recover further, then the less attention it gets from Johnny five thumbs the better.
 
It's surprised me as well Richard, the photos of fish one guy kart up last year were amazing, some proper ones amaongst them to in multiple catches.
 
Hi men ,

A few originals are coming out , but on my bit it's some of the thousands of stockies that survived that make up the captures . Time will help , but it's not recovered as people might think by the reports of fish . I know someone who has had a few , and is getting his bite in the dark even in great conditions .

Hatter
 
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